Five on Friday

Well, we made it to Friday. It's been a pretty uneventful week after 3 days of staying in the house. I'm ready for the weekend and the almost 70 degree temperatures that are on their way. I also have no excuse for not going to the gym so I guess that is back on the agenda too!

Today I'm linking up again with the Christina and the Five on Friday crew, so let's get down to business.

Goodbye Snow/Rain/Ice Storm in Charleston

Like we expected, the "debilitating" snow storm they called for in Charleston didn't happen. We got some rain that turned into sleet, and woke up with a little dusting of snow and a sheet of ice over everything. When you're used to being in the North where this kind of storm would be no big deal, it's so weird to see everything shut down here. I feel so awful for those in Atlanta, we didn't get a fraction of that. 

Passing time while stuck in the house
 

DIY Heart Garland. Felt Garland.

We took advantage of the cold weather and had another fire in the fireplace. I think it's safe to say Ruby was a big fan, she basically posted up in front of it for most of the night. We started re-watching the John Adams miniseries (SO good!), played cards, and drank wine, so we had no complaints!

DIY Curtains

My curtains I made last weekend have officially managed to stay up for a week, so I think it was a success! Stay tuned for a tutorial, I know that's an incredibly exciting topic! ha!

Recent Purchase

Flared Ponte Skirt

I saw this skirt online and couldn't pass it up for $15! I guess a lot of others felt the same because most sizes are sold out now. I hope it fits because I think it would be so cute with a graphic tee or blouse while walking around Europe!! Now I just need to find some shoes that are comfortable and stylish, without completely making me look like a tourist. Anyone have any suggestions?

Super Bowl Weekend

Whether you watch for the football, the commercials, or for an excuse to eat a bunch of food (I'm all of the above), it's the last game of the year which means that Spring is on the way! I'll be making some baked chicken nachos, cupcakes and maybe some Spanakopita. Yum!

I hope you all managed to keep warm this week and have a fun weekend ahead!!

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Valentine's Gifts for the Man (+ Pup) in Your Life

With just about two weeks until Valentine's Day (where the heck did January go by the way?) I've been racking my brain for some low cost Valentine's gifts that my husband would appreciate. I know guys don't care about Valentine's Day gifts but I love making holidays just a little more festive!

We'll probably forgo dinner at a crowded restaurant for a fun dinner at home and cheap wine. What can I say, I'm not hard to please! Plus, in just a few weeks we'll be toasting to our 1 Year Anniversary at the Eiffel Tower... so I'll save those extra bucks for the macarons.

 Bag. Whale Oxford Hat. Rainbows. Beer Mug. Boxers. Candy Lips.

Get your beau ready for summer with some Rainbows, they are the best, and a new, preppy hat. I threw in the bag too because its a more modern version of a briefcase and more practical for business travel since it hooks onto luggage.

Beer might seem totally unoriginal but it also meets all of the gift criteria, plus I can jazz a six pack up with some sequins if I'm really feeling it. There are also lots of free Valentine's Day printable tags, like this, for a cute finishing touch on gifts!

Assuming dudes aren't scoping out Pinterest or the blogosphere for gift ideas, I'm leaving out my wish list. If you're really curious, see here! And because I love my lounge/work clothes, I'm loving this festive sweatshirt (for me, my husband wouldn't wear that!).

I can't forget Ruby though! Our little love is already so spoiled, but I can't resist the urge to pick up something for her too. I usually pick up a festive dog toy from the Target dollar section, that way when she loses interest it's no big deal. I'm pretty sure any dog would love these cute Carob and Strawberry Puppy Kisses!

What are your plans for Valentine's Day? Do you go all out with gifts or just something easy and festive?

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Superbowl Menu: Baked Chicken Nachos

It's snowing teeny tiny snowflakes outside my window right now, people! I never thought I'd see it in South Carolina. I'm interested to see what the rest of today is like as I sit at my desk bundled in blankets, totally wishing it was the weekend!

We may not have Steeler-themed desserts this year, but we're still looking forward to vegging out on the couch and watching the Superbowl on Sunday. My husband and I decided its the perfect excuse to make our favorite, unhealthy snack: chicken nachos.

When we lived in Florida, we would make specific trips into Orlando to stop by the Ale House and get chicken nachos for lunch. A little extreme? Maybe. But they are that good!

This is one of the easiest recipes to put together, and it always makes way too much for 2 people, so if you're having a Superbowl party it will be perfect! Since my husband is a picky eater, we kept our toppings simple, but its really good with some chopped lettuce, guac, and sour cream on the side.

I make the chicken ahead of time in the crock pot. I just put two chicken breasts in the crock pot with some seasoning and either water or chicken broth and let it cook for about 4 hours on high. You could also add some buffalo sauce to your chicken to give it a little kick. The chicken shreds apart so easily, plus it requires very little effort. Bonus!

You have to do two layers of chicken nachos, according to my husband. That way you don't miss any of the artery-bursting goodness on this plate. We used Cheddar cheese here, but the Mexican shredded cheese mix is good and we're planning to add some Monterey Jack in the mix this Sunday. Yum!



Baked Chicken Nachos
{Serves... a lot}

Ingredients
Tortilla Chips
Chicken, precooked and shredded
Cheese, Shredded
Black Olives, diced
Tomatoes, diced 
Diced Onions, Peppers, Jalapenos, Black beans, etc.
Lettuce, Scallions, Salsa, Guac, and/or Sour Cream for garnish

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper so you don't have a big mess to clean up afterwards!

Arrange one layer of chips on parchment paper and top with half of the shredded chicken, shredded cheese, and your other favorite toppings. Repeat steps to make a second layer

Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheesy is melted and bubbly or chips are heated through. Garnish with lettuce, scallions, guac, and/or sour cream. Enjoy!

I think we needed more cheese!

What are some of your favorite snacks for the Superbowl?!

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Lessons from the Weekend

I will feel terrible the day after drinking just 4 beers. Also I will get approximately nothing accomplished the day after drinking said beers.

P.S. Stole this photo from you Ally! :)

My husband and I met Ally and her hubs for drinks Friday night at Madra Rua and it was SO much fun!! I'm pretty sure the men were quoting movies the whole night in between taking digs at Ally and I for blogging. I know for a fact they both said to each other, "Did we just become best friends?!" Anyway, after 3 or so hours of laughs and getting to know each other, I had 4 beers. And I felt it the next day. Ugh. I'd hate to think what I'd feel like if I tried to relive my college days...

I'm really bad at explaining what a "Some E Card" is. 

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Blame it on the old lady drinking 4 beers but I just could not manage to explain this Some E Card without confusing the hell out everyone at the table.

Even though I was fed up with my long hair, I felt sad seeing it get chopped off.

I honestly felt like Felicity when I got my haircut Saturday. Also, a lot of my friends had strong emotions about me cutting it. I must not have looked good when it was short for the majority of my life, and they are just now hinting this to me. I promise the left side isn't longer than the right... it just looks that way in this photo!

Charleston's snow and ice preparedness is about zero percent compared to every place I've lived up North.

Snowmageddon, 2010

We're supposed to get snow and a wintry mix here tomorrow, and people are panicking, for good reason. I don't think they own any salt around these parts, so what would be a simple dusting for my family up North is a Snowmageddon 2.0 waiting to happen here. At least it won't look like the last Snowmageddon we lived through, in Washington, DC circa February 2010.

When there are no football games on in a weekend, my husband re-watches old Super Bowl games. 
 
Because we haven't seen those clips replayed enough since 1979.

Meanwhile I made curtains and baked for most of Sunday afternoon... woo! More on that soon! Hope you all had a great weekend!

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Five on Friday

Happy Friday y'all! This morning I desperately needed a second cup of coffee and a blanket at my desk so I hope you are all keeping warm too!

This week has been pretty exciting, we've gotten a lot of final details for our Europe trip taken care of like train tickets and decided on a couple tours in Rome. I also noticed two of the most famous macaron bakeries in Paris, the Ladurée and Pierre Hermé, are on the Champs-Élysées near our hotel so you know where I'll be!!

Also I wanted to thank you for the love on my DIY paper heart garland yesterday! As usual I'm linking up with Christina, April, Natasha, and Darci for another dose of Five on Friday!

Caprese Pizza

This week I made Caprese Pizza with Balsalmic Reduction and it was heaven! Seriously. I could have eaten 3 of these things!! It's a bit of a splurge if you're trying to eat healthy (like me... you can see how well that went this week) but you need a cheat day every once and a while :)

iPhone Camera Lenses and my own sewing corner

This week my husband helped me bring in our old dining table to use in our spare bedroom for a little crafting area. I've been working on kind of a big project (more on that next week!) and it has been awesome having this space to sew and make a mess. It doesn't match our coastal-looking bedroom and I'll be moving it when guests come anyway, but its so convenient to have for now!

I was playing around with a new toy, iphone camera lens attachments, in the photos below. You get a macro, wide angle, and fisheye lens with a clamp to hold them on your phone. The pictures aren't the most clear but for $10, its much cheaper and easier to carry around than any fancy lenses for my big girl camera. I'm really excited to try them out in Europe!

Pretty Camera Accessories

The Bloom Theory Love Me "Fleur" Ever Strap

Speaking of photos, I'm pretty much obsessed with this gorgeous camera strap! (And this one!) It looks much more comfortable and less nerdy than the standard strap. It's definitely going on next year's Christmas list! Or my Valentine's wish list??? ha, yeah right.

Haircut

I'm getting a couple inches chopped off at the hair salon tomorrow... eek! I've been growing it out for over 3 years but this mane is just getting out of control! I found a great hairstylist in downtown Charleston who knows how to cut curly hair (curly hair girls all know this is big... I've had way too many bad haircuts!) so I'm looking forward to a new look for the new year!

I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

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DIY Paper Heart Garland

I've been working really hard on this "no spending" thing since the New Year... but its literally not possible. I need food. And I need to decorate. (Is it weird that decorating is right next to food on my priority list?) I essentially live and work in the same room, so this place needs to be festive.

This is a super easy project that will cost you about $2 depending on the paper you buy. I found the glitter scrapbook paper at Joann's and it actually has adhesive on the back. I used the leftover for a heart print and will probably stick some to a few drink stirrers or something completely unnecessary.

I gave a really quick overview of how to make felt garland this fall, so this is nothing new, but I thought it might be helpful to do a little better explanation with more photos! And yes, you can sew on paper without it breaking your machine. If you don't have a sewing machine, you can just string these together with some red or pink baker's twine!
  

First cut hearts from your scrapbook paper and thread your machine with a light color. I used regular white thread because it would blend in with the white mantel, but you will see it on the hearts regardless of the color so it doesn't matter.

Start by pulling a few inches of thread off to the side that way you have some to tie onto your mantel or wherever you are hanging the garland. 

Place the first heart into your sewing machine and slowly start to stitch. No need to back stitch here.

Once you get to the end of that heart, continue sewing for a couple seconds and then feed the next heart through.

Once you are done, pull the garland away from the machine a few inches again and cut the thread so you have some left to tie.

Make a double knot with the thread on the first and last hearts just to keep the thread in place. 

I've been giving our place a little Valentine's makeover and I can safely say it's is getting more festive with every pink heart and/or obnoxious gold glittery item I've added.

Also I find when you're crafting for Valentine's Day it helps to keep some candy hearts available at all times. I've fished most of the pink hearts out from the top so I guess I'll have to start digging for those.

Please excuse the string I forgot to hide!

I love how this turned out and I think the colors are really pretty, especially with the antique blue mason jar on the mantel. I'm hoping to score a couple more on the cheap and use them as vases or candle holders for our spring decor. 

Anyone do some crafting or decorating yet for Valentine's Day? I'm also forcing myself to wait a bit before I start making some of these sweets! You can also check out some more Valentine's inspiration here :)

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8 Months In: Signs I'm Turning Into a Southerner

I suspect that die-hard Southerners would claim you can't turn into a Southerner, you are born one, but after 8 months of living here I'm starting to notice that I'm adopting lots of "southern-isms," if you will. 

{via}

Snow

First let's start off with the well-known fact that snow after Christmas is unacceptable. I used to love snow, but now the thought of dealing with more than one blizzard in a winter makes me cringe. Let's face it, my body can hardly handle the temps in Charleston this week at a rough 30 dergee average for a low.

Monograms

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I don't know when this started, maybe when I was in Florida for college, but I'm monogram-obsessed. Hello, our wedding invitations were monogrammed! Vests? Jewelry? Home Decor? Hell.yes.

Sweet Tea and the SEC

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I've liked sweet tea for a long time, but since I live in the "birthplace" of sweet tea, just go with it. On the football side, my dad tried converting me to a Pitt fan while growing up. Even though I cheer for them when they are on, nothing beats the SEC! Go Gators!

Y'all.  I've definitely caught myself saying and typing this phrase, which I never, ever thought would happen. However, you will never hear the phrase "All Y'all" come out of my mouth. Eek.

Biscuits and/or cornbread with every meal. Don't mind if I do.

There are some Southern-isms that I'm still on the fence about... maybe my Southern blogger friends can provide a little insight....

Southern Sayings

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Honestly, what does this even mean?! I take it there are nice ways to say it and sassy, mean ways to say it... but make up your mind! Also, do people really say "Heavens to Betsy" or "Butter my butt and call me a biscuit?!" There are lots of other weird ones here that blow my mind.

Croakies

{via}

I remember making fun of South Carolina fans who always wore these to football games against the Gators. Frat boys also wore them. I still believe these are only to be used by people over the age of 60 for their bifocals.

Collard Greens and Grits. No, thank you.

Country music. Meh.... this used to be my thing as a teenager.

So is it possible to become a Southerner? Or am I outlawed because I don't like grits? 

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Straight Hair and Beer Tasting

Sorry for the late post today but I decided to take advantage of the long weekend by being lazy and sleeping in! Ruby even let me sleep late, so that was awesome. Normally she walks all over your face and chest, creepily staring at you waiting for your eyes to open, at which point she proceeds to lick the first layer of skin off your face. Gross.

This weekend I did something I haven't done in over 2 years... I straightened my hair. If you follow on Instagram then you already got a sneak peak! Let me tell you, it takes a lot of dedication to straighten this mane. It's a beast and is the longest its ever been after 3 years of growing it out.

Almost 2 hours and lots of burnt scalp later, it was straightish. And a bit wispy. The hubs and I planned a little date to Westbrook Brewery in Mount Pleasant. (He even put some product in his hair... which doesn't happen often so you know it's special.) We always talk about going to Westbrook during the Hobby Lobby trips I drag him to so we finally committed. This place is something like a beer-filled Biltmore compared to Holy City Brewery.

We didn't go on a tour of the facility but the tasting room itself was really nice (and crowded) so we sat off to the side of the main bar. I also came home with a fancy tulip beer glass (of course, what is it with my cup/mug collection?!)

I like light beer and since the first 4 beers in our tasting were all light, they won me over pretty easily. My favorite, which is weird because this also happened at Holy City, was the light beer with the highest alcohol content, Triple Magee. I also really liked their White Thai, it had more of a wheat flavor.

Photo on the left courtesy of Local Beer Blog... I forgot to take one!

We'll definitely be going back, and my husband already made me the DD for the next trip. On a side note, I think I should really get into professional beer tasting, I'm clearly fantastic with these explanations.

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! I'm off to bake and craft today... Love me some time off from work!

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Thank Goodness..

It's Friday!! It seems like every week gets busier and busier so I am beyond excited for a 3-day weekend! As usual, I'm linking up with the Christina, April, and the Five on Friday girls for my favorites from the week.

Birthday Gift to myself

So I've been sitting on some Amazon gift cards that my wonderful family gave to me for my birthday and Christmas this year and I was totally torn on what to get. My options were a sewing machine, Rayban Wayfairers, or a 50mm camera lens. I opted for... drum roll please... a sewing machine. How lame/old am I?!

The camera lens was a tough one to pass up, but until I get the hang of my current lens, I thought I could put that purchase off a few more months. And the Raybans... well, those require more effort to keep them from breaking and getting scratched like all of my cheap sunnies, and I wasn't sure that at 27 years old I am up for that responsibility.

Charleston Blogger meetup

I finally had a chance to meet some of my favorite local bloggers, Megan, Ally, and Shelby. We took advantage of restaurant week and a few glasses of wine last night at Al Di La. These girls are the absolute sweetest and have helped me out so much since we first moved here, it was great to finally meet them and I can't wait for our next night out :) It still baffles me that blogging has opened up opportunities like this to connect with these ladies and the rest of you! Love it!

Cross-Body Bags

J. Crew Tartline Mini-Satchel 

I've been on the search for a cross-body bag that will hold my DSLR while we're in Europe, and I'm having a hard time deciding. I picked up this purse from J. Crew while it was on sale and I wanted to share it with you all because its gorgeous! Unfortunately the blush seems sold out but if it comes back in stock, snatch it up! I'm still a little on the fence because it barely fits my camera (if I keep it in a small case) so until I make up my mind, the hunt continues...

Looking ahead to Spring

{via}

Is it just me or does this outfit make you so excited for Spring?! We have a mild winter here so I can't complain but I'm still excited for all of the spring colors and the nautical look, it never gets old! 

This...

{via}

I saw this last night and it hit me that I've been trying to do way too much and it made me so scatterbrained this week. I need to focus on limiting my to-do list or managing my time better on the weekends to accomplish everything. Does anyone else feel like this sometimes?

P.S. I apologize to those of you who commented on posts this week and haven't heard back! I love, love reading your comments so keep them coming and I promise I will do better :) I'm also really looking forward to catching up on all your blogs this weekend!

I hope you all have a great weekend! Only one more in January... how is that possible?!

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Valentine's Day Festiveness

With officially one month until Valentine's Day, tons of red velvet recipes in your face on Pinterest, and Target stocking its shelves with festive decor (I know this because I follow Targetdoesitagain on Instagram... I'm still doing good on my Resolution!), I'm getting pretty excited to break out the pink, red, and glittery decor. I might even throw some minty-blue colors in the mix... look out!

I know some folks aren't crazy about Valentine's Day, but personally I'll take any excuse I can to eat pink candy hearts and decorate the house. I'm not talking all out, Griswold-style... just some subtle Valentine's Day touches. Here are some of my favorite Valentine picks for both you and your home!

 Gold Prints. Mug. Dish Towels. Garland. Ring. Heart Tee. Apron.

I wish I could buy every one of these gorgeous goodies, especially that heart-shaped felt garland!! It looks like Target has some cute festive items, including the "Love You So Much" garland seen here. You also can't go wrong with some pretty flowers around the house! I do love me some pink peonies... hint hint, Valentine.

Ladies, Anthropologie is rocking some oh so pretty expensive aprons. I actually received a similar apron at one of my bridal showers, and my girlfriend who got it for me advised me that wearing the apron (and only the apron) helps you get out of fights with your hubby. I'm positive that my face turned bright red at that point! ha!

Do you decorate for Valentine's Day? I plan to attempt a DIY Valentine's Day project or two, so stay tuned!

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Weekend in Pictures

Busy Monday mornings are the worst. I'm just throwing that one out there...

Our weekend mostly consisted of cleaning and finishing projects on my to-do list, one of which involved using a drill on Sunday night. More on that later this week, but to give you a hint, I'm basically creating more work for myself. But what else is new?!

After a very rainy Saturday we decided to enjoy the sun on Sunday by taking Ruby for a walk on the beach at Isle of Palms. We haven't taken her there for a couple of months and it was so nice to soak up some of the warmer weather, forget about everything on our to-do lists, and just enjoy our afternoon together.

My husband was the only one dressed like it was 80 degrees... I told him he is always shirtless in my beach photos and its awkward putting them on the blog. ha! The water was freezing so there wasn't much splashing through the waves this time around.

The day wouldn't have been complete without Ruby excessively barking at seaweed and playing with a few suspect shells that she decided were out of place.

No editing necessary on this photo, just gorgeous blue skies! Not bad for a January day. 

I hope you all had a great weekend and maybe a little sun like we did!

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